[lewisfishing]

Hi all! I have enjoyed the brief time I have been able to read the posts here and now as a new member, I hope to be a contributor as well!

I will be fishing in a tournament there in February and have been trying to learn as much as possible by reading the reports here. After looking at the maps, satellite images and the Duke Energy site, I still have a couple questions in mind...

As I look at the maps, it looks like the general flow is from the south to the north, yet from reading the posts here, my understanding of the "hot" discharge area is that the water is pumped from the main lake...upstream...into the water southwest of the steam station. Am I correct in thinking that? If that is correct, then the current in that arm of the lake would be slightly reversed from the rest of the lake, with the "overflow" going through the hot water discharge area.

I may be reading too much into it, but that is how it seems. I am sure I will learn more after visiting the lake a couple times, but I am trying to get a better picture of what to expect when I get there the first time.

Thanks for your help!

 

[rudy]

If you search under Belews on this site there are some really good post that explain the lake well. I also have a turney there in Feb. and need to get up there to learn the lake. Let me know what you fin out.

 

[lewisfishing]

Not a problem. I got your pm (?) and responded. Not sure i f i did it right, though.

 

[BassBandit]

Which access are you guys talking about for Feb? FYI, there will be a team tournament this coming Saturday out of Pine Hall Access. 100% payout.

As for the water discharge regardless the wind or flow the water remain warm year round slightly north of Humphries Ridge toward bridge 65. You'd find me above and below these section because it harder for me to pattern the fish when they stay in same water temp most of the time. The farther you are from discharge the better you can pattern them, IMO.

Btw I live a mile from the lake.

 

[lewisfishing]

Thanks! I found on Lake Norman (where I live) is very similar to that. I do much better away from the "hot holes". Are the water temperatures away from the warm areas alot different than in the warm areas in February?

Thanks much!

 

[BassBandit]

In Feb, much different, the colder month it gets the temp decreased at both ends. Give or take maybe 10ish degree difference from the warm area.
What I've done best, if the temp reads 40-50 at the end I know the bite will be slow so I move a little toward warming area til I approach 55-60. The hothole area tend to be in 65-70 in cold months. Break line - cold meets warm. Easier to pattern than high pressured bass in hot hole. Hope make sense?

 

[Neilslure]

I only been there once. The water is really clear like parts of Norman. The fishing in the warmer clear water sucked, so I went to the colder dirtier water and caught something. One bridge was the difference between 60 degree water and 45 degree water. Seemed to be more life in the 45 degree water.

 

[lewisfishing]

Thanks! Makes perfect sense...I had a very difficult time getting anything of significance in the Norman warm areas, although I saw lots of baitfish on the depthfinders. It could be that more people fish the warmer areas or could be any number of other reasons, I guess, but I am grateful for your insights. Thanks BassBandit and Neilslure!

It looks like we'll be putting in at the Carolina Marina on the 20th of Feb. I'm planning on getting out there beforehand to get a feel for the lake. I'll keep you posted on those trips!


Thanks again!

 

[BassBandit]

Thought I'd give the update. As of yesterday, I was on the water from 8 til 3. The cold weather was brutal with bone chill wind! The north end at the dam area water is in 51 and down south toward 2 bridge 65 split by a long point is in 56 degree. At the hot hole its in 65-66 degree. I tried both ends with no success then I raced a mile half or two from the hot hole ranged in 60-62 degree. Boated a few with 3 good keepers 15"+

 

[lewisfishing]

Thanks for the update! It definitely helps to know the temps...glad you caught some nice bass, too!

I finally got my boat back this week and did some fishing here at Lake Norman and accomplished a couple things...the boat ran great and the bass were biting a bit, too....at least in the warmer areas.

I'm gonna try to get up to Belews either this weekend or next, if everything works out. I'll give an update on that when it happens.

 

[JayeDon08]

I think I am going to try belews on friday..supposed to get up to 56 degrees and sunny...sounds good to me....

 

[BassBandit]

Yes this week weather gonna be nice to get out on the lake! Gonna try hit it either today or tomorrow to look over a couple of spots that I haven't been to. Come and say Hey if you see a blue/white Sprint 277 bass boat

Just so you know, that's if anyone is interested, there will be a team tournament (can fish alone) out of Pine Hall this coming Saturday to make up for Saturday 9th that was canceled due to cold weather. And on the 23rd as scheduled.

 

[JayeDon08]

MmHmm do you have any more info about the tourney....like sign up location...entry fee....I am a new boat fisher, said I would not fish any tourneys till the summer..but I might just enter this one if its not too much of a hassle.....

 

[BassBandit]

There's no tournament in Summer at Belews that I know of.

See this NC Tournaments page for details on the remaining fall/winter tournaments

Btw, I might need a partner if I don't hear anything from him by Friday evening. PM me if you need more info.

 

[lewisfishing]

Feb 20th might be a bit busy out there...another tournament going out of Carolina Marina on that day, too. Does it get crowded on Belews with more than one tournament?

 

[BassBandit]

Depends, on how many boats attended.

I went ahead to check the new spot today. We didn't spend long because my daughter gotten cold so we headed on home sooner than planned. I checked 2 new area instead of 5. The first area I got to, on 3rd cast landed me a keeper. Decided not to make another cast, saving it for Saturday.

 

[lewisfishing]

Nice! I remember when my daughter was that young and she went fishing with me, too. Now my son handles most of that job, but anytime she's int he area, my daughter still wants to hit the water with daddy!

Glad the fishing worked out as much as it did. Good luck Saturday!

 

[BassBandit]

My partner says he is not able to go this Saturday....so

If anyone is interested to team up with me for this Saturday please PM me.

Thanks.

 

[Flameseeker]

Fished Belews from 1:30pm - 5pm. Temperatures on the lower end of the lake was 51-58 degrees. The hot hole was 66. Caught two bass on black with blue flake Senkos. One was caught just as the lure hit the water. I was surprised to find the fish as shallow as they were.

 

[BassBandit]

Nice going Flame! Our water temp reading would be accurate. Yeah with the warming trend we're having this whole week they would be moving up some shallows. The fish I caught while I was at 50 feet deep. Channel bends